# Twitter crashes as Brits defend NHS



## goldenquagsire (Aug 23, 2009)

Slightly old, but interesting.

Basically, after Sarah Palin called our health service a "death panel", we got revenge by making Twitter crash.

Also, lol at Republicans who Did Not Do The Research ("Stephen Hawking would be dead if he had been treated by the NHS!")


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## Yarnchu (Aug 23, 2009)

goldenquagsire said:


> Also, lol at Republicans who Did Not Do The Research ("Stephen Hawking would be dead if he had been treated by the NHS!")


What, no Tvtropes link? Though it's probably for the better. I just got off there after snooping around the fan service section. :sweatdrop:

As for the actual article....I guess I don't need to say how retarded my country is at the moment.


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## Minish (Aug 23, 2009)

Very interesting, considering I've never heard a single Brit praise the NHS. o_O

We love to hate our own things, but if anyone else tries to join in...


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## Lady Grimdour (Aug 23, 2009)

Retarded or not, that's quite epic.


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## goldenquagsire (Aug 23, 2009)

Cirrus said:


> Very interesting, considering I've never heard a single Brit praise the NHS. o_O
> 
> We love to hate our own things, but if anyone else tries to join in...


Huh, odd. I've never heard a single Brit claim that the NHS is a bad idea. Obviously, there are problems with it and the service could be greatly improved; but it seems to be almost unanimously agreed (at least, over here) that universal health care, free at the point of access, is an important part of any humane society.


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## Tarvos (Aug 23, 2009)

NHS is great. What people complain about is the _implementation_, which apparently leaves something to be desired.


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## Harlequin (Aug 23, 2009)

The NHS is a brilliant idea. We just need to fix it instead of throwing money at it all the time.


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## Tailsy (Aug 24, 2009)

... Talk about passive-aggressive British revenge.

"D: TALK SMACK ABOUT MY NATIONAL HEALTHCARE SYSTEM?? WELL. WELL. I'LL. I'LL - I'LL BREAK YOUR INTERNET AND PRETEND IT WASN'T ME."


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## Dannichu (Aug 24, 2009)

I thought the way the UKians (and a load of people overseas, including a bunch of USians - especially those who'd experienced both UK and US healthcare) rushed to defend the NHS was so, so sweet. Someone (probably Graham Lineham) said in a tweet that "The NHS is like your parents; you can complain about it non-stop, but as soon as anyone else does, you scratch their eyes out", and I think it's totally true. 
Yes, most people know a horror story to do with the NHS (they "mended" my broken arm by setting it nearly 40 degrees out of place so it's all wonky), but I struggle to think of anyone who hasn't massively benefited from it at one point or another, from getting free contraceptives to getting lifesaving medication and operations. The idea that what might be the most advanced country in the world not only doesn't have a NHS but doesn't _want _one just blows my mind.

#welovethenhs


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## opaltiger (Aug 28, 2009)

Don't worry! Something like 53% of Americans _do_ want nationalised medicine.

Sort of.

If you squint.

The point is, there is hope?


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## GiratinaGiratina (Aug 30, 2009)

Dannichu said:


> I thought the way the UKians (and a load of people overseas, including a bunch of USians - especially those who'd experienced both UK and US healthcare) rushed to defend the NHS was so, so sweet. Someone (probably Graham Lineham) said in a tweet that "The NHS is like your parents; you can complain about it non-stop, but as soon as anyone else does, you scratch their eyes out", and I think it's totally true.
> Yes, most people know a horror story to do with the NHS (they "mended" my broken arm by setting it nearly 40 degrees out of place so it's all wonky), but I struggle to think of anyone who hasn't massively benefited from it at one point or another, from getting free contraceptives to getting lifesaving medication and operations. The idea that what might be the most advanced country in the world not only doesn't have a NHS but doesn't _want _one just blows my mind.
> 
> #welovethenhs


I think that nobody really has the full right to judge until they've experienced it firsthand, and who, honestly, wants to bet Sarah Palin has? I love the NHS, I get my meds for free until I am sixteen, when I broke my leg, we did not have to worry about hospital costs, every experience I've had with it has been smooth and easy. Not saying it's not flawed, but I am proud of it.


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## Harlequin (Aug 30, 2009)

NHSWales is great! We don't have to pay for our prescriptions! How great is that? When I was in France and I had to _pay_ for the doctor's appointment _and_ my drugs I wasn't pleased at all.

€33 for medical treatment? Fuck that for a laugh.


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## Dannichu (Aug 30, 2009)

Not having to pay for prescriptions _would_ be nice. Getting the pill for free is awesome (I can't believe how expensive it is in some areas of the US), but my ventolin inhalers are nearly £9 each now I'm over 18 and have to pay, and there's no concession for full-time students, which I think is a bit off.


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## Harlequin (Aug 31, 2009)

Yeah, I really love our free prescriptions. My mother's on all sorts of pills for her _ailments_ and it'd cost a fuckload of money if we had to pay like £6.80 (is it that? idk I don't pay...) for every set.

And when I had a kidney infection I was seen by a doctor and given pills really quickly. Lifesaver. <3 *And* for my medical certificate explaining why I sucked at my French oral. _So_ glad for that.


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## Vladimir Putin's LJ (Aug 31, 2009)

But guuuuuyyyyys if everyone can go get treated that means they'll have to pay a tiny taaaaaaax :c and they'll have to, ugh, *wait* in hospitals if they bring in someone who's had his leg chopped off! What kind of sense does THAT make?


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## opaltiger (Aug 31, 2009)

> We don't have to pay for our prescriptions!


wait

there are places where you _do?_


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## Ruby (Aug 31, 2009)

Wales and Scotland have better versions of the NHS than England.  They have some regional control of their halthcare.  As for paying for prescriptions, since a couple of years after the NHS began, there have been a few things that weren't free.


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## Harlequin (Aug 31, 2009)

opaltiger said:


> wait
> 
> there are places where you _do?_


yeah. England is one of them!


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## Dannichu (Aug 31, 2009)

Yeah, but there are loads of exceptions. I'm not saying people _should _pay, but prescription meds are free for under 18s, over 60s (maybe 65?), people on benefits and a bunch of other concessions. Plus there's some stuff (like the contraceptive pill) that's free to whoever anyway.

It's weird that Scotland has better healthcare but a much lower life expectancy, though.


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## Tailsy (Aug 31, 2009)

Yeah, we keep stabbing and killing each other. Also heart disease usually packs us in if you don't live in some shitty estate in Glasgow.

At least we try!


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